Paint roller systems generally comprise a frame and a paint roller. The frame and the paint roller may be fixedly integrated, or the paint roller may be removable from the frame. Each of the frame and the paint roller may be made up of numerous separate component parts. The paint roller of such systems is generally dipped in paint, and is used to transfer paint to a surface, such as a wall or other surface. Known prior art paint roller systems can be laborious to utilize as paint can work its way into parts of the frame, such as the connection between the roller and the frame, or other elements of the frame, such as moving parts in the frame. When paint becomes lodged in any of these elements of the paint roller system it can become difficult to achieve a rolling motion of the paint roller of the paint roller system. The application of paint on a surface can become uneven, and a significant amount of energy may need to be expended by the user to work the paint roller system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,082 (“US 082”) discloses an invention that is a roller cover support consisting of a blow molded sleeve having plural protruding ribs to frictionally retain the roller cover in place. The ends of the sleeve are molded to receive end caps which include suitable bearings for the roller frame shaft and provide some support against collapse or flattening out of the sleeve during use under pressure. A Y-shaped frame may be used that has spaced apart end supports that are substantially flat and thin, and are parallel to each other. The roller cover support is positioned between the frame supports. In order to dismount or mount the paint roller (with the roller cover support therein) from the frame the frame supports must be flexed apart. Continued use of prior art of this type results in the arms of the frame stretching from the continued flexing resulting in an unstable mounting of the paint roller within the frame, or breakage of the frame supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,228 discloses a yoke type paint roller frame having a pair of arms joined at one end. Each arm terminates at the opposite end and a paint roller of selected length can be positioned between these ends. Specifically the ends of the frame are inserted within the paint roller, so that the paint roller is engaged with the frame by way of stub axles. The ends of the frame are flexed so as to engage with a paint roller. A cross bar is connected to the frame to maintain the position of the frame ends once these are inserted into the paint roller to hold the frame ends in the paint roller. This invention is prone to having paint work its way inside the paint roller where the frame ends are inserted into the paint roller. This invention is also prone to having paint work its way into the cross bar and thereby interfere with the function of the cross bar.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0050935 describes a paint roller frame made from a single length of rod shaped to form a frame that can engage a paint roller. The frame includes arms having distal ends adapted to rotatably engage opposite ends of a paint roller. A distal segment may serve as an axle shaft about which a first roller engaging hub is journaled. In order to mount, or dismount, a paint roller to the frame, forces must be applied to spread the frame arms apart so as to allow the roller to be positioned between the frame arms. The frame is bent at two or three locations along its length so that it can be considered to consist of three or four segments. Continued use of this invention may result in the arms of the frame stretching from the continued flexing apart of the arms resulting in a poor mounting of the paint roller to the frame. Moreover, adherence of paint to the frame may diminish the ability of the bends in the frame to absorb shock forces created when painting occurs, as sections of the frame may become rigid due to paint becoming lodged in the sections. Also the use of the paint roller frame may compromise the bends in the frame. All of these effects of use upon the frame may diminish the integrity and ease of use of the frame.